Wire tagging machine



June 22, 1943. A. J. VERDECHIA WIRE TAGGING MACHINE Filed July 18, 1942IN VEN TOR.

A E w D n R w M J .Y% N w 0. .m vv N A Patented June 22, 1943 WIRETAGGING MACHINE Anthony J. Verdechia, Baltimore,

Md., assignor to The Glen L. Martin Company, Middle River, Md., acorporation of Maryland I Application July 18, 1942, Serial No. 451,517

3 Claims.

, This invention relates to tagging machines and particularly, to amachine for wrapping articles such as aircraft cable or wire withcolored tape for identification purposes.

Unless the kind and quality of every cable or wire used in the assemblyof an airplane can be easily and accurately identified, serious mistakeswill occur.

The inventor has discovered that colored tape of the cellulose adhesiveor Scotch Tape variety, having a tacky side and a smooth side, isparticularly suited for use as a means for identifying aircraft cable orwire because of itsweight, color, costand durability.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to wrap this tape by hand aroundaircraft cable or wire to identify it. These attempts, however, havebeen unsuccessful because it took too long to wrap the tape around thecable or wire by hand. They were also unsuccessful because when the tapewas so wrapped, it did not firmly adhere to the cable or wire and had atendency to unwind and fall off.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a time savingmeans for permanently attaching colored adhesive tape of the celluloseadhesive variety to an aircraftcable or wire, to identify it.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a. device forwinding colored identification tape of the cellulose adhesive varietyaround a cable or 'wire and then pressing it into a permanent set onsaid cable or wire to insure 'a permanent bond thereto.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide acombination wrapping, pressing and cutting machine for tagging cable orwire with colored tape of the cellulose adhesive variety foridentification purposes.

Further and other objects will become apparent from the description ofthe accompanying drawing which form a part of this disclosure and inwhich like numerals refer to like parts.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a cable or wire tagging machineshowing a wire in position for tagging.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side view partially in section of the taggingmechanism.

A unitary machine for tagging wire with colored tape of the celluloseadhesive variety is shown in Figure 1. Base 6 is attached to bench 4 byclamps 8. Connected to the front side of base 6 is a pedestal l8 havinga conventional tape guide 42 pivotally connected thereto at 44. Tapeguide 42 is adapted to be swung about the pivot 44 and is held inguiding position by lock 46.

The pedestal III also contains an anvil portion 34. Cooperating withanvil portion 34 is a sliding clamp member I 4 having the circular headportion l8 and knife portion 20. The sliding clamp member I4 is slidablymounted on the front of pedestal I0 and is held in vertical alignmenttherewith by means of the horizontally projecting bolts 22 and 26 inslots I9 and 25.

A slotted spring clip 24 attached to the front side of sliding clampmember I4 resiliently and slidably engages bolt 22 to insure the uniformvertical movement of said member.

The sliding clamp member I4 is also provided with a rearwardly andhorizontally projecting lug 56 adapted to move up and down in chamber I2of pedestal I8. Lug I6 is connected to spring 28 in chamber I2. Spring28 exerts a force on lug I6 which tends to move sliding clamp member I4upwardly. When the sliding clamp member 54 is held in the up position byspring 28, the circular head portion I8 is not in contact with anvil 34.

A cable 54 joins sliding clamp member I4 to a foot operated treadle 56causing the sliding clamp member [4 to move downwardly against theupwardly directed forces of spring 28 when force is applied to treadleportion 56. When the sliding clamp member I4 is moved downwardly in thismanner, the circular head portion I8 is forced against anvil 34 and atape wrapped wire 36 resting on anvil 34 is pressed into a permanentset. Treadle 56 is a conventional foot operated treadle.

Also mounted on base 6 is another pedestal portion 52 having the reelholder 48 connected thereto. Reel holder 48 is adapted to hold a spoolof colored cellulose adhesive tape 40 of the Scotch Tape variety on itsaxle 50.

In operation, tape 40 is pulled from a spool held in reel holder 48. Thetape 40 is pulled over the top of the pedestal l8 through guide 42 untilit rests on the top of jaw I8 and knife 20 of sliding clamp member I4,with its smooth side facing downwardlyand its tacky side facing upwardlyas shown in Figure 2. A piece of wir 36 to be tagged is then held abovethe tacky side of the tape and one of its ends is lined up with the wiremeasuring arm 38. Wire measuring arm 38 is adapted to help the taggingmachine operator wind the tape 40 around the wire 36 at uniformdistances from one extremity.

When the end of the piece of wire 36 to be tagged is in properalignment, th operator then brings the wire 36 downwardly against theupwardly faced tacky side of tape 30 which is extended over the top oftable portion i through guide 42 to the top of jaw I8 of sliding clampmember l4.

As soon as the wire is brought into contact with the tacky side of tape46, the operator rotates wire 36 winding a desired amount of tape 40around it with the smooth side of the tape 40 on the outside.

When a sufilcient amountof tape 40 has been wound around the piece ofwire 36, the operator places the tape wound wire on the anvil 34 underthe head iii of the vertically moving sliding clamp member M and stepson the treadle 56 which causes head iii to move-toward anvil 34 andengage the tape wound wire 36. The head I3 exerts a great force on thetape wound wire 36 resting on anvil 34 and presses it into a permanentset or bond with wire 36. Head I8 is actuated by the treadle 56 which isconveniently placed with respect to the foot of the operator.

The operator removes the tagged wire 35 from the top of anvil 34 andsevers it from the remainder of tape 40 by means of knife 20. Thisleaves a remaining section of tape 40 in position on top of head l8 toreceive another piece of wire.

From the operation of the device described above, it will be seen thatan identification tape is wound on and firmly secured to a, wire at apredetermined distance from the end of the wire in a relatively simple,convenient and expeditious manner.

It is to be understood that certain changes, alterations, modificationsand substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the appended olairns.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wire'tagglng machine comprising a tape dispensing means, an anvilmember adjacent said tape dispensing means, a sliding clamp memberadapted to engage and clamp a wire lying on said anvil member, saidsliding clamp member having a knife portion secured thereto, to cut thetape from the wire, said knife portion serving to support the tape afterthe cut-off operation and means for urging said clamp toward said anvilto engage said article lying thereon.

2. A wire tagging machine comprising a base a portion, an anvil membermounted on said base, a sliding clamp member for engaging an articlelying on said anvil, a tape cutting means secured to said clamp, saidcutting means serving for a support for the tape end after the cuttingoperation, a tape dispenser connected to said base adjacent said anvilmember, means for urging said clamp toward said anvil to engage anarticle lying thereon, and means cooperating with said first mentionedmeans and forming a part thereof for urging said clampaway from saidanvil and out of engagement with said article.

3. A wire tagging machine comprising an anvil member on which a wire tobe tagged may be rested, means for dispensing marking tape with thetacky side up to be wrapped around the wire, a jaw member having aconcave portion adapted to conform with the contour of the wire for alength equal to, at least, the width ofthe tag, said jaw member beingmounted to move with respect to the anvil member thereby exerting aclamping action on the wire, pedal means for producing the motion of thejaw member, whereby the tape wound wire is squeezed between the anviland the jaw to obtain a lasting bond between the tape and the wire.

ANTHONY J. VERDECHIA.

